Shallow-draft cargo vessel with captive air spaces



May 28, 1963 H. E. PICKRELL, JR

SHALLOW-DRAFT CARGO VESSEL. WITH CAPTIVE AIR SPACES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 12. 1960 Hugh EPickrell Jr:

IN VEN TOR.

May 28, 1963 H. E. PICKRELL, JR 3,091,204 SHALLOW-DRAFT CARGO VESSELWITH CAPTIVE AIR SPACES Filed Sept. 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I26 93 i93 I22 A28 30 I2 /24 W Q6 9 44 4O we 43 we 60 as Hugh E. Pickrel] Jr.

INVENTOR.

3,091,294 Patented May 28, 1963 3,091,204 SHALLGW-DRAFT CARGO VESSELWITH CAPTIVE AIR SPACES Hugh E. Pickrell, Jr., Vancouver, Wash, assignorto R.P.T.Z. Patco Inc, Portland, Greg, a corporation of Oregon FiledSept. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 55,298 Claims. (Cl. 11426) This inventionconcerns a novel construction for a cargo vessel, and more particularlyrelates to a shallowdraft cargo vessel that can handle multiple types ofcargos constructed with captive air spaces along the sides of the vesselextending substantially along its entire length, whereby the vessel maybe fully loaded with the captive air spaces buoying and serving tostabilize the vessel in the water.

In certain operations, particularly in river traffic, a cargo vesselsuch as a barge and the like may have to be constructed with arelatively flat bottom, so that the vessel can navigate in watersimpassable for vessels with a deep draft. While shallow-draft vessels insome localities are fairly widely used, known constructions have beencharacterized by certain disadvantages that have detracted from theiruse, and it is toward the correction of these disadvantages that thisinvention is directed.

The ordinary, shallow-draft barge adapted to carry liquid cargocomprises a hull wtih a relatively fiat bottom, and decking extendingbetween the sides of the hull that closes off its top. Liquid cargo,such as petroleum and the like is carried in the interior of the hull.The vessel, if loaded to carry its maxim-um pay load, ordinarily hasrelatively little free board along its sides. Thus, loading must becarefully controlled, particularly if the vessel is to encounter roughwater. A barge too fully loaded may dive beneath the surface of thewater, and sometimes then completely fill up and sink to the bottom.Even should the barge not sink, when submarining occurs, towing iscomplicated. The difficulties indicated above are particularlytroublesome in vessels adapted to handle multiple types of 'cargos.Vessels of the latter description preferably should have separatecargo-carrying spaces for different types of cargos, as this makes forfaster loading and unloading and easier cleaning. But the pro vision ofseparate cargo-carrying spaces adds to the weight of a barge, with theresult that the payload that can be carried, without danger of diving orsinking, is less with a multiple cargo vessel than with a single cargovessel.

It is a general object of this invention to provide an improvedconstruction for a multiple cargo vessel, such as a multiple cargo bargeand the like, that takes care of the hereinabove indicated difficult-iesand requirements in a practical and satisfactory manner. The vesselcontemplated provides for carrying liquid and bulk cangos in separatespaces, and a novel organization wherein the spaces for carrying the twotypes of cargos are separated by captive air spaces along the sides ofthe vessel producing buoyance inhibiting diving, listing, andsubmarining of the vessel.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide, in avessel such as a barge and the like, a first cargo-carrying space alongthe bottom of the Vessel adapted to carry liquid, and a secondcargo-carrying space for material such as salt, grain, and the like,disposed above the first cargo-carrying space and completely separatedtherefrom by void spaces extending along the sides of the vessel.Upright, fluid-tight bulkheads along the sides and ends of the hull ofthe vessel extend upwardly from the hull and define the side and endlimits of the second cargo-carrying space. The bottom of the secondcargo-carrying space is defined by a floor spaced above a horizontalpartition that extends between the sides of the hull and forms the topof the first cargo-carrying space.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vessel with twocargo-carrying spaces, one spaced above the other, as indicated, thatalso includes an elongated hollow channel extending along each side ofthe vessel, with the interior of each channel connected to the firstcargooarrying space whereby it may operate as an expansion system forliquids carried in the first cargo-carrying space and also functions asa captive air space lending buoyancy to the vessel.

Other features and objects of the invention will become more fullyapparent as the following descniption is read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a barge constructed according to thisinvention, middle portions of the barge having been removed for thepurpose of shortening the drawing;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional View, taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1,illustrating the shape of the hull of the barge in cross section, andthe bulkheads joined to the hull that extend upwardly from the hull;

FIG. 3 is a cross-ectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1illustrating further details of the barge; and

FIG. 4 is a view, slightly enlarged, of conveyer mechanism shown in FIG.2 provided for unloading material from a cargo-carrying space in thebarge.

Referring now to the drawings, at 10 there is indicated an elongated,shallow-draft barge having a bow and stem indicated at 12 and 14,respectively. The barge, as can be seen with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2,comprises a hull 16, with sides 18, 20 joined to a flat bottom 22. Sides18, 20 converge on each other at the bow and stern of the barge, andbottom 22 slopes upwardly at the bow and stern, whereby the ends of thebarge are tapered.

The construction of the hull is fairly typical. Thus, the sides may bemade of the usual steel plate 19 secured to longitudinals 24 extendingalong each side of the hull, and the bottom may be made of plate 23secured to longitudinal 26. Longitudinals 24 and 26 are secured tovertical frame sections such as the one indicated generally at 282 inFIG. 2. Vertical frame sections, similar to section 28c, are provided atregular intervals along the length of the hull, at the locationsindicated by the paired dotted lines indicated at 28a28h in FIG. 1.

Each frame section, as illustrated by frame section 28s shown in FIG. 2,comprises uprights 30 at the sides and spaced at intervals between thesides of the hull, and transverse beams 32 joining the top set andbottom set of ends of uprights 3d. The beams and uprights areinterbraced by braces 33.

Sides 18, 20 and bottom 22 define an elongated first cargo-carryingspace 35 along the bottom of the vessel. This cargo-carrying space, inthe embodiment illustrated, is adapted to carry a liquid cargo, such aspetroleum. The cargo-carrying space is closed off adjacent the ends ofthe vessel, and the space itself is divided into a series ofcompartments following one another along the length of the vessel, bymaking fluid-tight bulkheads that extend transversely of the hull out ofselected ones of the sections 28a28h. Thus, with reference to FIG. 2,steel plate 34 is secured to the uprights, transverse beams and bracesof section 282, and also has margins sealed to the sides and bottom ofthe hull, whereby a fluid tight bulkhead is formed at the location ofsection 28a. Similar fluid-tight bulkheads are formed out of sections28b and 28g (these defining the ends of the cargo-carrying space), andalternate sections between these two sections (for instance, section28:1 in FIG. 1). The compartments are further divided between sections28b, 28g by a vertical.fluid-tight bulkhead 36 that extends along themidline of the vessel between these sections. Bulkhead 36 comprisesplate 37 sealed along the lower margin thereof to bottom 22 and securedto one side of the uprights 30 that follow one another along the midlineof the vessel. Longitudinal strengtheners 38 are secured to the otherside of plate 37.

Fastened to the top of each of the frame sections that is made into afluid-tight bulkhead (sections 28b, 23d, 28e, and 28g in FIG. 1), andadjacent each side of hull 16, is an upright, substantially rectangular,core plate 49. These core plates are nonperforate, and each forms acontinuation of the fluid-tight bulkhead directly below it. Fastened tothe top of each of the frame sections that alternate with those formedinto fluid-tight bulkheads (sections 280, 28f in FIG. 1), and adjacenteach side of hull 16, is a core plate 41 similar to core plate 40 buthaving a limber hole 42. Plate 19 along each side of the vesselextendsup to the top of the core plates 40, 41 disposed along the side, and isjoined to outer edges of these core plates. Top edges of the core platesalong each side of the hull are covered by plate 43, and along each sideof the vessel, vertical inner edges of the core plates 40, 41 arecovered by plate 44. In this manner there is provided an elongatedhollow channel along each side of the hull (indicated at 46 and 47,respectively) that extends substantially the length of the hull,

with upper portions of plate 19, plate 43 and plate 44 defining thechannels, and core plates 40, 41 providing inner support for thechannels. The sides and top of the channels are fluidetight, and thechannels have open bottoms, so that the channels communicate along theirlength with the compartments of the first cargo-carrying space. Thechannels are divided into sections, by the nonperforate core plates 40,at location directly above those frame sections that are made intofluid-tight bulkheads.

Extending between sides 18, of the hull is a horizontal deck orpartition 69. This comprises plate 62 fastened to longitudinals 64supported on the top edges of upper transverse beams 32. The partitionor deck is fluid tight, and along each side of the vessel a fluidtightconnection is made between plate 44 of the channel along the side, andthe outer margin of deck 60. Plate 34 that'makes a fluid-tight bulkheadof selected frame sections (sections 28b, 28d, 282, 28g in FIG. 1),extends up'to and is sealed to the underside of plate 62. Thus,partition or deck 60 closes oil the top of the first cargocarryingspace, and it will be noted that the Various compartments of the spaceare isolated one from another.

As already indicated, the cargo-carrying space along the bottom of thehull and beneath deck 60 is adapted to hold liquidcargos such aspetroleum, and such a cargo is fed into and removed from the vessel,using conventional piping indicated at 68. Each compartment of the spaceisprovided with an ullage pipe 70. The hollow channels along each sideof the hull (each defined by upper portions of plate 19, plate 43, andplate 44) function as an expansion system for the various compartments.

The sections of channel 46 along one side of the hull, and the sectionsof channel 47 along the other side of the hull, are connected to a ventconduit 72 by pipe connectors 74 (see FIG. 1). Vent conduit 72 has anend 72a disposed substantially above the highest normal 'load water linefor the vessel with the vessel loaded (such water line being indicatedat76)." End 72a is equipped with a pressure responsive valve 78 sensitiveto diflerences between atmospheric pressure and the pressure within thechannel vented by conduit 72. The valve operates to relieve pressurediflerences exceeding a predetermined amount, normally in the range ofabout one and a half pounds per square inch, by accommodat ingappropriate inflow or outflow of gas through vent conduit 72:

In the usual construction, channels 46, 47 are of sucha size that thespaces within the interiors of the channels have a combined volume thatis approximately 5% of the volume of the cargo-carrying space below deckor partition 6%. When the vessel is filled with a petroleum cargo, theinteriors of channels 46, 47 are left open. That is to say, the vesselordinarily is filled approximately to the level of the underside of deck60. This enables the spaces within the channels to function as anexpansion system. The spaces within the'channels also serve anotherimportant function, in that they constitute captive air spaces disposedalong the sides of the barge. These captive air spaces produce abuoyancy along the sides of the barge that gives the barge lateralstability, and inhibits diving and submarining of the barge.

Continuing with the description of the barge, above partition or deck 60is a second cargo-carrying space, indicated at 80, adapted to carry drycargos such as grain, salt, coal, and the like. Space 80 is completelyisolated from space 35, and each may be used-for: a selected cargowithout the cargo of one space contaminating the cargo of the otherspace. For instance, petroleum may be carried in first cargo-carryingspace 35 with the barge traveling in one direction, and grain carried inthe return trip for the barge in space 80, with the grain loadeddirectly into space 80 without the necessity of any steam cleaning, asWould be necessary if petroleum and grain were carried in the samespace. The sides of space 80 are defined by upper portions offluid-tight bulkheads 86, 88 extending upwardly from locations adjacentthe sides of the hull. Each bulkhead comprises vertical ribs 99 withenlarged bottom ends 92 joined to plate 62 of deck 60. Ends 92 are alsosecured to plates 44 that define the inner sides of channels 46, 47.Longitudinally extending strengtheners in terconnecting the ribs areindicated at 93. Steel plate 94 extends over the outside of ribs of eachbulkhead and is secured to the ribs. The bottom margin of plate 94 issealed to plate 43 of the channel therebelow. With reference to FIG. 1,the ends of space 80 are defined by fluid-tight bulkheads 96, 98 thatconstitute continuations.

of the fluid-tight bulkheads formed of frame sections 2817, 28g. Towardthe bow and stern of the hull from bulkheads 98, 96, respectively, arefluid-tight decks 100, 102 that seal ofl the top of hull 16 at the bowand stern.. Thus, completely around space 80 are walls that are fluidtight, that enable the vessel to ride in the water with tlze7s6urface ofthe water at the load water line indicated a Over the top of space 80 isroof structure 1 10 comprismg panels 111 supported on longitudinals 113and roof ibeams 112. Stanchions supporting middle portions of the roofstructure are shown at 116. along the midline of the roof structure, and1s opened and closed by slidable covers 120.

Within the space bounded by bulkheads '86, 88 and bulkheads 96, 98 isfluid-tight floor structure 121. This inthe opening cludes floorsections '122, 124 sloping downwardly and.

to saddles 149 and stanchions 116. Floor structure 121 defines thebottom of space 80. Since the floor sections of the structure slopetoward the troughs, dry material 7 tends to fall by gravity into thetroughs during unloading.

Material isunloaded from space 81) by moving it along troughs 126 towardthe bow of the barge, Where it dumps from the troughs into a collectingpit or sump 146 (s'ee An opening 118 extends floor sections aresupported FIG. 1) positioned below and adjacent the ends of the troughs.Preferably automatic unloading mechanism of the type disclosed in US.Patent 2,889,942, for instance, is provided for removing material from atrough. A-s described in this patent, and with reference to FIG. 4, suchan unloading mechanism comprises a pair of elongated conveyor screws,such as those indicated at 150 and 152, mounted Within each trough, andan overlying hood structure, indicated at 154, that covers the conveyorscrews and prevents material from falling around and completelyengulfing them. Material falls into opposite sides of a trough throughslots 156 that extend longitudinally along opposite sides of the trough.

Screws 150, 152 are driven by motors 160 disposed in a motor roomadjacent the stern of the vessel, indicated at 162. The motor room has afioor 164, a front wall 170 and a ceiling 172, that join bulkheads 86,88 and that together close off the room from the first and secondcargocarrying spaces described. Drive from a motor to a conveyer screwis through a speed reducer, indicated at 174. The screws are rotated bythe motors in a direction that causes material falling into a trough tobe carried toward the bow of the barge, where it may tall intocollection pit 146.

Adjacent the bow of the vessel, and directly above pit 1 6, is a hatch176. Material is removed from pit 146 by any suitable conveyer mechanisminserted downwardly into the pit through hatch 176. A hatch cover 178 isswung downwardly over the hatch to close it, when the hatch is not inuse.

With particular reference to FIG. 2, it will be seen that fioor sections122, 124 of structure 120 are spaced a substantial distance abovepartition or deck 60. Thus, there are large voids between the upper sideof the deck and the underside of the floor sections, one along each sideof the barge, and these voids extend along the sides of the barge theentire length of space 80, which is a major portion of the length of thebarge. These voids also function as captive air spaces providingbuoyancy for the barge and inhibiting diving, listing, and submerging ofthe barge.

Using the barge of the invention, a load can be carried where little ifany free board exists along the sides of the barge. In fact, the bargecan be loaded to such an extent that the sides of the hull alongportions of the barge intermediate the bow and stem are completely underwater. Even when fully loaded, and when moving in rough water, the bargemaintains its lateral stability and is buoyed from diving and sinking,by the captive air spaces described that extend along opposite lateralsides of the hull. The barge can handle with equal facility multipletypes of cargos.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A shallow-draft cargo vessel comprising an elongated hull with bottomand sides defining an elongated first cargo-carrying space along thebot-tom of the vessel, 21 horizontal fluid-tight partition spacedvertically above said bottom and extending between the sides of the hulland closing ofi the top of said first cargo-carrying space, an uprightlongitudinally extending fluid-tight bulkhead joined to the hull andextending upwardly from each side of the hull and said partition, anupright transversely extending fluidti-ght bulkhead joined to the hulland extending upwardly from said partition adjacent each end of thehull, said bulkheads defining the side and end limits of a secondcargo-carrying space disposed above said first cargo-carrying space, afluid-tight floor for said second cargocarrying space extending betweensaid bulkheads above said partition, said floor along each side of thehull being spaced a substantial distance above said partition and theunderside of said floor and the topside of said partit=ion along eachside of the vessel defining an elongated captive air space in thevessel.

2. In a shallow-draft cargo vessel comprising an elongated hull withbottom and sides defining an elongated first cargo-carrying space alongthe bottom of the vessel, and means along each side of the vesseldefining an elongated hollow channel communicating adjacent the bottomthere- 'of with :said first cargo-carrying space, said channelsfunctioning as expansion chambers for said first cargo-carrying space,the improvement comprising a horizontal fluid-tight deck extendingbetween the sides and ends of the hull and closing off the top of saidfirst cargo-carrying space, an upright longitudinally extendingfluid-tight bulkhead joined to the hull and extending upwardly from eachside of the hull and said deck, and an upright transversely extendingfluid-tight bulkhead joined to the hull and extending upwardly from saiddeck adjacent each end of the hull, said bulkheads defining the side andend limits of a second cargo-carrying space disposed above said firstcargo-carrying space, and a fluid-tight floor for said secondcargocarrying space extending between said bulkheads above said deck,said floor along each side of the hull being spaced a substantialdistance above said deck, the underside of said fioor and the top ofsaid deck defining an elongated captive air space in the vessel alongeach side of the vessel, said captive air spaces being closed oil? fromsaid expansion chambers.

3. A shallow-draft cargo vessel comprising an elongated hull with bottomand sides defining an elongated first cargo-carrying space along thebottom of the vessel, 2. horizontal fluid-tight partition spacedvertically above said bottom and extending between the sides and ends ofthe hull and closing off the top of said first cargo-carrying space, anupright longitudinally extending fluid-tight bulkhead joined to the hulland extending upwardly from each side of the hull and said partition, anupright transversely extending fluid-tight bulkhead joined to the hulland extending upwardly from said partition adjacent each end of thehull, said bulkheads defining the sides and end limits of a secondcargo-carrying space disposed above said first cargo-carrying space, anda fluid-tight floor for said second cango-carrying space extendingbetween said bulkheads and defining the bottom of said secondcargo-carrying space, said floor along the length of the vessel slopingdownwardly progressing from the sides of the vessel toward the midlineof the vessel whereby material carried in the second cargo-carryingspace on unloading is directed by the floor toward the midline of thevessel, said fioor adjacent the sides of the vessel being spaced asubstantial distance above said partition and the underside of the floorand the topside of said partition providing along a substantial portionof the length of the vessel a captive air space along each side of thevessel.

4. In a shallow-draft cargo vessel comprising an elongated hull withbottom and sides defining an elongated first cargo-carrying space alongthe bottom of the vessel, and means along each side of the vesseldefining an elongated hollow channel communicating adjacent the bottomthereof with said first cargo-carrying space, said channels functioningas expansion chambers for said first cargo-carrying space, theimprovement comprising a horizontal fluid-tight deck extending betweenthe sides and ends of the hull and closing off the top of said firstcargo-carrying space, an upright longitudinally extending fluid-tightbulkhead joined to the hull and extending upwardly from each side of thehull and said deck, an upright transversely extending fluid-tightbulkhead joined to the hull and extending upwardly 'from said deckadjacent each end of the hull, said bulkheads defining the side and endlimits of a second cargo-carrying space disposed above said firstcargocarrying space, and a fluid-tight floor for said secondcargo-carrying space extending between said bulkheads above said deck,said floor along the length of the vessel sloping downwardly progressingfrom the sides of the vessel toward the midline of the vessel wherebymaterial carried in the second cargo-carrying space on unloading isdirected by the floor toward the midline of the vessel, said flooradjacent the sides of the vessel being spaced a substantial distanceabove said deck, the underside of the floor and the top side of saiddeck defining an elongated captive m'r space in the vessel along eachside of the vessel, said captive air spaces being closed oiffrom saidexpansion chambers.

5. A shallow-draft cargo vessel comprising an elongated hull with asubstantially flat bottom and sides defining an elongated holdvjorliquid along the bottom of the vessel, a horizontal fluid-tight deckextending between the sides and ends of the hull and closing off the topof said hold, bulkheads joining with said deck and extending upwardlytherefrom and defining the side and end limits of an e-longatedsecondhold extending :along the length of said vessel superimposed over saiddeck, a fluid-tight floor for said second hold extending between saidbulkheads and spaced above said deck, said floor along the length of thevessel sloping downwardly progressing from each side of the vesseltoward the midline of the vessel, said floor because 15 of its slopebeing operable on unloading of material from said second hold to directsuch material toward the 0 midline of the vessel, said floor because ofits slope also having an underside which along each side of the vesselis spaced a substantial distance above the horizontal deck below thefloor so that an elongated captive air space is defined along each sideof the Vessel, said captive air spaces being closed off from said holdfor liquid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS190,542 Brooks May 8, 1877 643,064 Kershaw Feb. 6, 1900 843,390 BurneyFeb. 5, 1907 1,111,740 Frear Sept. 29, 1914 2,594,930 Hudson Apr. 29,1952 2,889,942 Russell June 9, 1959

1. A SHALLOW-DRAFT CARGO VESSEL COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HULL WITH BOTTOMAND SIDES DEFINING ON ELONGATED FIRST CARGO-CARRYING SPACE ALONG THEBOTTOM OF THE VESSEL, A HORIZONTAL FLUID-TIGHT PARTITION SPACEDVERTICALLY ABOVE SAID BOTTOM AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDES OF THE HULLAND CLOSING OFF THE TOP OF SAID FIRST CARGO-CARRYING SPACE, AN UPRIGHTLONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FLUID-TIGHT BULKHEAD JOINED TO THE HULL ANDEXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM EACH SIDE OF THE HULL AND SAID PARTITION, ANUPRIGHT TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING FLUIDTIGHT BULKHEAD JOINED TO THE HULLAND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID PARTITION ADJACENT EACH END OF THEHULL, SAID BULKHEADS DEFINING THE SIDE AND END LIMITS OF A SECONDCARGO-CARRYING SPACE DISPOSED ABOVE SAID FIRST CARGO-CARRYING SPACE, AFLUID-TIGHT FLOOR FOR SAID SECOND CARGOCARRYING SPACE EXTENDING BETWEENSAID BULKHEADS ABOVE SAID PARTITION, SAID FLOOR ALONG EACH SIDE OF THEHULL BEING SPACED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE ABOVE SAID PARTITION AND THEUNDERSIDE OF SAID FLOOR AND THE TOPSIDE OF SAID PARTITION ALONG EACHSIDE OF THE VESSEL DEFINING AN ELONGATED CAPTIVE AIR SPACE IN THEVESSEL.